Delegation - The Best Way to Have an Easy, Fun, and Amazing Wedding!!!
Your wedding day has been something you’ve dreamed about for a while, maybe your entire life. And as many couples approach their big day, your big day becomes something you begin to stress about more and more. Your fiancé isn’t much help (he can’t help it, guys just aren’t that good this sort of thing), your family may or may not be easy to get along with. There are so many decisions to make and so many people asking you questions it just becomes overwhelming. As a photographer, I hear brides say something that just breaks my heart at almost every wedding we shoot. “I just can’t wait for this day to be over, because I’m over it.” So how does the day of your dreams become a nightmare so quickly?
The answer is simple; brides try to take on too much. A wedding is a ridiculously difficult event to plan. Its a special day not just for you, but also for your family and guests and making sure that the day flows and is as beautiful and enjoyable as you want it to be is more than a full time job for one person. So how can you possibly get everything done and still enjoy the day? How can you make all of the arrangements, all of the phone calls, all of the negotiations and selections and still be sane? You have to learn to delegate.
Depending on your personality, delegation may not be the easiest thing for you to do. Some of you out there only feel comfortable if you are in total control. While some of you may be just relaxed and want to go with the flow. The good news is that delegation can work for every personality type!
The Pastor/Officiant
I know, I know, your cousin has been to church a few times and has offered to get internet ordained so he can do your ceremony. I’ve seen this done several times and let me tell you, it never goes well. Ever. Inexperienced officiants get nervous and often don’t have any idea how to craft a beautiful and timely ceremony. Find an experienced member of the clergy or officiant to handle your ceremony and things will go much more smoothly. And, you can tell them everything you want in the ceremony and they will take care of those details! They can also help a lot at the rehearsal to make sure things flow smoothly and that everyone knows where to go and what to do. Once you have a the right pastor or officiant, you can relax and let them do the work to make sure your ceremony goes smoothly!
The DJ
This is probably one of the most over-looked roles in the wedding. The DJ can literally make or break your reception. We’ve seen so many couples decided to save a little money and just play songs off of their iPhones. This has never, ever, ever worked. The DJ is a professional that understands both sound and how to move a party along. I’ve seen talented DJ’s take a reception to from lame to fame in a couple of songs. They keep the events moving and fill in the awkward gaps with music and fun. They also come prepared to handle different technical problems that can arise. One meeting with a professional DJ and you can get all of the details of your reception figured out, planned, and then you don’t have to worry about it again!
The Photographer
I know, your aunt just spent $600 on a new camera and has taken a few senior pictures for your cousins and now you can save a bundle by letting her shoot your wedding. But a photographer does a lot more than take pictures. Photographers can help you plan and organize to make sure you get amazing photos and capture every single moment. Its not just about snapping photos, its really more about telling your story and an experienced photographer can make sure that happens. You can communicate everything you’re wanting, send all those cute/romantic/beautiful picture ideas from Pinterest, and trust your photographer to make sure everything gets done. Also, the quality of lenses, cameras, and lighting that a professional has can make a huge difference. We have spent a lot more than $600 on our equipment (more like 20 times that amount) and the quality of image we can take is a lot higher that what you aunt can get!
The Wedding Planner
A professional and experienced wedding planner can make a huge difference in making everything come together. The decorations, the cakes, the flowers, the details, and coordination is honestly a full time job the day of the wedding and as a bride, you won’t have time to handle any of it. Instead of fretting and trying to solve problems while you’re getting ready, you can delegate that to the wedding planner and trust that things will get done right. Many wedding venues provide a wedding planner as part of their packages, or some offer a planner for a nominal fee. Definitely worth asking about when you are shopping for a wedding venue!
After spending a ton of on hiring other professionals, many people don’t have the money for a wedding planner. Often, they ask a family member or friend to fill the role. Unlike the DJ, photographer, and officiant, we’ve actually seen some novice wedding planners do a good job. You just have to make sure and someone with the right personality type. A good wedding planner is going to be someone that can pay ridiculously and almost absurd attention to even the smallest of details. Get someone obsessive and dedicated to doing the job right and they can help you so so much.
Conclusion
Weddings are just so much, its way more than one person can handle. Find professionals that can make sure everything about your day goes smoothly can make a huge difference. Family and friends can also be a big help. Make sure to include them as much as you need/feel comfortable. As your big day approaches, you should find yourself doing less and less and those you’ve delegated to doing more and more. You do the work of organizing and delegating up front and then your staff of friends, family, and paid professionals will handle all the details you’ve planned out!